Potatoes in the Mist

Today, there is a big rainstorm/thunderstorm in Manhattan; it's romantic and scary all at once. AND I had the perfect cookie. I love the peanut butter cookies at Whole Foods, but they do not always get the texture right. I am seeking soft and chewy, but with a touch of "al dente" - i.e., Pepperidge Farm Soft-Baked are too soft for me. Whole Foods makes their p.b. cookies either perfect or hard (overcooked and brown). There is no in-between. I test the cookies by pinching them gently with a piece of parchment covering my fingers. Yesterday they had a perfect one, but some hooligan took a bite out of it and PUT IT BACK. I know, I know. Even grosser - my mind briefly entertained buying it, but I reasoned I had no idea what germs the transgressor left on the cookie. But today, I found the perfect cookie. And it was bite-free. Also, they were playing "Alone" by Heart in the store. I had forgotten this song's existence, but it brought me back to the summer of 1987...

So at Whole Foods, they have my favorite yogurt in the world -- Wallaby . The only hitch? Some of their nonfat yogurts cost $1.19, others cost $1.09. As a conscientious objector, I bought only the $1.09 flavors. But they kept ringing up at $1.19. After going through the whole price-check ordeal on several occasions, I asked for a suggestion slip. I explained the foregoing and added boldly, "Make them all $1.09!" This was last week. I went there tonight and they made all the prices uniform. They're all $1.19. Bet you could see that coming. In other news, my college roommate is going to visit this weekend on her way back from music camp. Since she shares an initial with another friend I've mentioned before, we will call her CR. In book-related news, I finished Girl Sleuth (about the creation of Nancy Drew) and really enjoyed it. My LibraryThing review is here .

I was shopping at Whole Foods (I'm making saag paneer with tofu, a good opportunity to use the asafetida and garam masala waiting in my cabinet) and they were piping in Christmas music. Guy Cashier swoops in and sings, "It's the most wonderful time of the year..." Girl Cashiers shake their heads, ask him what's wrong with him (but they're laughing). Guy Cashier (with dignity): Nothing is wrong with me. My inner child is alive. That's what keeps old people going. Girl Cashiers: ? Guy Cashier (warming to his theme): My grandmother, she goes bungee-jumping on her birthday. Me: How old is she? Guy Cashier: 65. So Merry Christmas, and remember to go bungee jumping on your birthday...it'll keep you young. (I'm not going to take this advice -- too much of a scaredy-cat -- but it seems sound.)

I went to Whole Foods today, which was one of the dumber things I've done in my entire life. You see, I forgot that everyone has the day before Thanksgiving off, and accordingly heads to the store. With nothing but zucchini in my cart, I found myself trapped in the bean aisle. (I'm making the rigatoni-white bean-zucchini-and tomato concoction that Liz likes.) I couldn't take it any more and I fled. I've never done that before, and I'm sorry to whoever finds it and has to put the zucchini away, and I hope the zucchini finds a good home. However, it's still better than those who leave used Kleenexes or worse in their grocery carts. Also, I found out something scandalous about one of the places where I work. I'm finding it hard to keep it to myself. I told D and Carpe, but no one else knows. I wish I could do one of those "My best friend lives in Canada, and she works at a ____ where they were ______," but I'm not a good liar. The only occasions...

I went to a farmers' market today (there is often one set up in Union Square) and bought some "new crop" apples - Braeburn and Gala. All the "new crop" signs made me wonder if there's an old, moldy, worm-eaten crop somewhere...but if so, they weren't selling 'em. The apples were magically delicious (yes, I've eaten them all already). Then I went to Whole Foods-Union Square to get an oatmeal-raisin cookie - I had a craving - and then I slipped into the Strand (pernicious crack den) and got 3 books (all half-price, though, enabling me to feel somewhat virtuous). I also have a good flow of library books now. I realized it's better to put books on hold if (a) they aren't new, (b) the library has many copies of them and/or (c) they're not in much demand. Whole Foods presented me with a dilemma. There's a Pilates studio in town that is offering a special deal: get one class for free with this flyer (from the foyer of Whole Foods), and t...